Tag: creativity

Time to Reset

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“Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you’re keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls…are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.” – James Patterson

There’s a young man in our neighborhood that’s learning to juggle. In fact, he’s the same young man who does magic tricks that I’ve written about.

Now that he’s 12, he’s started hiring himself out for birthday parties. He really does a great job with the patter and the magic. He’s such a delightful, inquisitive, and polite young man that it’s impossible not to root for him.

When it comes to juggling, he gets it done. But not exactly with the flawless execution of someone in a circus show. It’s more like a suspense act where you worry for every ball.

Funny thing is that is how I’m feeling in this first week of September. I’ve got the home projects to stain and seal before the rain comes, the fall clothes shopping, the million and one forms to fill out for back to school, and a family wedding. And work and the class I’m teaching next week? Well, let’s just say I’m keeping the balls in the air but everyone watching is probably a little worried about the show.

So I’m delighted that in the latest episode of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, I get to talk with my co-host Vicki Atkinson about the need to nest.

As September begins, we feel the summer’s intensity wane in the Northern Hemisphere. While I cherish summer, there’s a point where the expectations for endless outdoor fun with my family become overwhelming.

Vicki and I discuss transitioning from the carefree days of summer to the structured school year. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, empty nester, or caregiver, we explore the opportunities that come with a fall reset.

From dedicating more time to writing and reflecting to tackling projects set aside for vacations or house guests, we can embrace the seasonal shift.

Vicki shares insights from a nutritionist and the Surgeon General, offering food for thought on eating earlier and acknowledging our burdens.

These are all great ideas for recognizing the benefits of resetting with the change of seasons. So, let’s put on our cozy sweaters, don our creative thinking caps, and enjoy the fall.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling.

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 83: The Need to Nest with Vicki and Wynne

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Transcript for this episode: Episode 83 transcript

Links for this Episode:

Episode 83 show notes

(featured photo from Pexels)

Your Favorite Quotes About Writing

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“Writing also makes you process memories in a different way. You have one idea and then remember another. It’s like each one is a cow in a field, and you have to round them all up.” – Michael J. Fox

Last week I posted my favorite quotes about writing. This week, I’m sharing the fantastic quotes shared in the comments. Each quote is posted along with the link to the thoughtful contributor (and their blog) that submitted it.

Thank you all for sharing this amazing wisdom!

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wordsworth

Contributed by Dana at Regular Girl Devos

“When in doubt, write.” – Mark Twain

Contributed by Jane Fritz from Robby Robin’s Journey

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank

Contributed by Endless Weekend

“Write what you know.” – Mark Twain

Contributed by Brad Borlund

“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means.” – Joan Didion

Contributed from Brian from Writing from the Heart with Brian

“” I want to write so well that a person is 30 or 40 pages in a book of mine … before she realizes she’s reading.” – Maya Angelou

Contributed by Rebecca Cuningham from Fake Flamenco

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison

Contributed by Kym Gordon Moore from From Behind the Pen

“Habitual handwriting opens up space for generating good ideas, organising them on the page and constructing nuanced vocabulary choices.” – Dr. Hetty Roessingh, professor emerita University of Calgary

Contributed by Edward Ortiz from Thoughts about leadership, history, and more

(featured photo from Pexels)

Inspiration and More

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“Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” – Pablo Picasso

The other day I was with my five-year-old son, Mr. D, in a room of storage lockers. He was checking everything out and said, “Look at that wonder.”

I followed his gaze to a padlock that had a piece of tape with a question mark on it. My interpretation was that the owner of the lock was unknown. But I liked Mr. D’s better – just look at that wonder.

I get so much inspiration from my kids. They see things with new eyes and help me to peel away my assumptions that cover over so many things.

But there are other ways to break out of that mold and we talk about some in the latest episode of the Sharing the Heart of Matter podcast. Vicki Atkinson and I are with author, graphic designer, and blogger, Dave Williams.

I love reading something that gets my creative juices going. But even better in the community of podcasting and blogging is catching a ride on everyone else’s enthusiasm!

In this episode, Dave Williams, tells us about the inspiration he gleaned from reading Felicia Day’s book, “Embrace Your Weird.”

Felicia’s book is more than a read, it’s an experience of exercises to break us out of our creative ruts. Dave shares his take on what inhibits our natural flow and some of the things that inspire him.

This is a great episode with the incredibly talented and creative Dave Williams. We get to draft off of his inspiration, Felicia Day’s book, and the flow of creative sparks.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and inspiring places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 82: “Embrace Your Weird” with Author Dave Williams

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Transcript for this episode: Episode 82 transcript

Links for this Episode:

Dave Williams – writings and drawings (wordpress.com)

‘Bubba Ho-Tep’ and feeling more okay about creating weirdness – Dave Williams (wordpress.com)

Dave’s review of Felicia Day’s book can be found here.

“Embrace Your Weird” by Felicia Day – linked here.

(featured photo from Pexels)

My Favorite Quotes about Writing

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“I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself. ” – Marlene Deitrich

This post was originally published on 8/30/2023. Heads up – you may have already seen this.

I think it’s safe to say that writing is the subject that I’ve studied longest. Sure, it started with just grasping the pencil with some dexterity and has developed through school essays, technical writing, and now to developing a personal angle with memoir writing, and blogging. But whatever the genre, it feels like an incredibly rich and vast subject of study.

So here are five of my favorite quotes about writing.

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” – Richard Bach

“Write what you need to read.” – Adage

“The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness.” – Madeleine L’Engle

“I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.” – Mark Twain

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King

What are your favorite quotes for writing inspiration?

Do It Again: The Magic of Repetition

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“Next time you’re afraid to share your ideas, remember someone once said in a meeting let’s make a movie with a tornado full of sharks.” – unknown

This post was originally published on 8/9/2023. Heads up – you may have already read this.

I was recently lucky enough to be able to talk about the magic of theater in a podcast conversation with writer, playwright, and Wise & Shine colleague, Jack Canfora. As we talked about the powerful feeling of a night in the theater when it all comes together and just works, he told me a story about Laurence Olivier and young Maggie Smith.

After a night where the performance was particularly magical, Laurence Olivier angrily stormed into his dressing room. Maggie Smith inquired after him, asking him “What’s the matter, Larry? It was brilliant.” Laurence replied, “I know. And I have absolutely no idea how I did it, and it’ll be gone tomorrow.”

Wow, that story speaks to me! About how I want to capture magic, to define it, and put it into a bottle. Also about the repetitive nature of life. Preparing a meal, writing a post, or having a moment with friends – there are so many things that I do repeatedly and when it goes well, want to know why. Laurence Olivier’s reply gets to the desire to capture it in a formula so that we know exactly how to do it again.

The elusive nature of life seems to ensure that there is no perfect replica. Even for someone with the talent of a great actor cannot control all the factors that go into a delivery.  Yet we still strive for those wonderful moments when it all comes together.

If you’re anything like me, that striving actually takes away from the moment. Instead of savoring the now moment, when everything went wonderfully well, and being grateful, I start thinking of what I have to do next, or how things might go differently in the future.

Fortunately, I keep getting the chance to do it again. I’ve found that life requires us to repeat ourselves and then begs us to stay present for each show. I feel this most starkly when it comes to writing. Every time I sit down to write, it feels like breaking through my barrier of protectiveness and layers of my own BS to try to write something meaningful. Then I post something, for better or for worse, and then think, “I’ve got to do that again?”

Of course I do, because life isn’t static. I’ve found that writing rubs off that tarnish or moss that grows when I don’t do the work to show up authentically. For me, that’s where the magic happens. I can only imagine that something similar was at work for Laurence Olivier.

(featured photo from Pexels)

Creatively Unwinding

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“The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness.” – Madeleine L’Engle

It’s captivating to watch all the different types of creativity at the beach. Unless someone has found a way to monetize sand castles, I believe what I’m watching is some of the unique ways people use their leisure time.

There are all sorts of way to unwind, aren’t there? Here on this beach in the Pacific Northwest, building forts and sand castles top the list.

Almost nine-year-old Miss O likes to create some version of a crab café every time we come to this beach. It’s got scalloped dishes, seaweed garnish and salt and pepper (sand) shakers made from crab claws.

Others have made beautiful and intricate forts out of driftwood. Some of these structures are so sturdy that they last for months and years between our visits.

Someone else makes driftwood sculptures. And our neighbor on this trip has made a sort of hanging sculpture from the wood on the beach.

When my friend, Katie, was here, she challenged the kids to come up with their own Beach Olympics. Would their event be Shell Shotput or Beach Balance Beam?

As I jot all this down, it reminds me that writing is another activity to add to the list. Not only am I writing this down for a post, but I can also imagine all the poetry, prose, and photography inspired by time away at this place.

I’m struck by how intertwined creativity is in what we do, even when unwinding. Maybe as the quote for this post from Madeleine L’Engle suggests, it’s all part of working towards wholeness.

Writing Worth Doing

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“Words have magical power. They can bring either the greatest happiness or deepest despair.” – Sigmund Freud

Last Friday was Mr. D’s last day at his pre-school/daycare. He’s been there for nearly four years. In three different classrooms with so many great teachers, this school has been such a wonderful influence.

When I went to write the amazing staff a thank you note, I did so through a veil of tears. When I was done, it felt like a piece of writing as worthy as anything else I’ve composed because:

  1. It was from my heart
  2. I provided others with a perspective on their impact that would be hard for them to know otherwise
  3. The feelings it elicited were worth rippling out in the world

Here’s the note:

This morning before [Mr. D] left for school, he took his plate to the sink, washed his hands after going to the bathroom, and used his words when he wanted to play with something his sister had. Those three skills are just some of the wonderful building blocks that he learned in his time at GLPCC.

I know it’s hard to measure the positive impact that you have on one child or one family’s life. Just as a stream doesn’t count the rocks it touches as it flows, the kindnesses and fundamentals you all bestow with your patience, creativity, and caring make such a difference.

I get choked up thinking about all the ways your consistency and hard work have made my life better during the years D has been at GLPCC. From the pandemic to surviving the hard drop off days, I have been able to navigate life and work because I was absolutely certain D was in good, kind and loving hands.

So I send you all immense gratitude for the amazing work that you do. And if there is any day that feels tough – think about what our world would look like if everyone took their dishes to the sink, washed their hands, and used their words when they wanted something. It would be amazing. You all are building a better world.

Have you written something simple that turned into a worthwhile project?

(featured photo from Pexels)

Along For The Ride

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“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love it what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones

When Vicki Atkinson first read my book about my beloved father, Finding My Father’s Faith, one of the things she remarked that she loved was the way he described riding on trains when he lived in India.

He was 24 or 25 years old, studying to get a Masters degree from Benares Hindu University. During his school breaks would travel around India third class, sitting on the floor like everyone else, and practicing his Hindi.

I admit I hadn’t thought at length about that aspect of my dad because that was just the guy he was. He didn’t proselytize, mention he was a pastor, or have any agenda – he just liked people. Whether he was golfing, hiking or riding mass transit, my dad enjoyed talking with his fellow travelers in this life.

I mention this because in this week’s podcast, Vicki and I talked with dear friend, marketing man, and creative guru, Eric Knudson about riding the bus.

Eric is a dear friend of mine and a master story-teller. I’ve known Eric for ten years and through the years, he’s regaled me with many stories. I can’t tease out exactly the formula but it’s some combination of his use of humor, timing, and detail that makes him so entertaining to listen to.

He also had the pleasure of knowing my dad and understanding what a whirlwind of energy and good-natured sociability he was.

So in this episode, he brings both his fantastic storytelling and a bit of my dad to a great story about a recent bus ride. It’s hilarious, dramatic, and full of fun. Here’s a sneak peek:

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Check out the full podcast at: Episode 76: On the Bus with Eric Knudson

(featured photo from Pexels)

Links for this episode:

Vicki’s personal blog: Victoria Ponders

Wynne’s personal blog: Surprised by Joy

Vicki’s recently released book: Surviving Sue

Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

Resilience and The Right Team

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“Children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care that they get.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

I know it’s bad form to brag about your kids. So I’ll ask for your apology in advance. I want to set the expectations appropriately, and then still do exactly what I want to do. Because I was so inspired by my four-year-old that it seems worth passing along.

Two days ago, I saw my son, Mr. D, pull off an incredible feat of resilience. He went to an Aikido class expecting that he could test for his yellow belt. Not only did he expect this, but he’d told his teachers at school, and we’d gotten my mom to come to the class to watch. Plus his favorite person on the planet, his darling older sister, would be there.

But when he did his practice test, he screwed up the forward rolls. The Sensei is a very good teacher and won’t let anyone take the test until they’ve got it down. So, she let him know before his class started that he wouldn’t be able to test that day.

He lined up for class with his bottom lip quivering and he kept glancing at me to commiserate his disappointment. The crestfallen look on his face was enough that I felt like crying myself. But about halfway through the 50-minute class, he took a deep breath in, squared his shoulders, and visibly moved on from the disappointment.

By the end of class, he was fully participating and laughing. When we went home, he kept practicing the move he messed up. He was still only landing on the correct foot about fifty percent of the time.

Then yesterday morning, he popped up out of bed and wanted to show me his rolls. He thought hard about it, and nailed it. After about a half dozen correct ones, he announced he was ready to test. When we went to Aikido class yesterday afternoon, he stepped up and nailed the test.

Expectation, disappointment, then coming back to earn it – kids do these things in such quick succession that they make it look easy. It makes me wonder if as grown-ups we remember these are part of a cycle. We just have to keep rolling to get through it.

One other thing strikes me. Kids have a whole network of people cheering them on. Teachers, coaches, parents, grandparents, and often even random bystanders will jump in to tell them they’re doing great.

Which makes me wonder if adults have the same. Are we cultivating the friends, partners, colleagues, and mentors that help us continue to be resilient? Are we being those people for others? It might make all the difference.

Using It All Up

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“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.” – Erma Bombeck

My dad had a motto, especially in his retirement years. “I just want to be useful.” And as a retired pastor, that translated to serving on boards, guest preaching, teaching classes, and family stuff like helping me with my house and yard on Saturdays.

And he was very useful. But his usefulness required a lot of flexibility on my mom’s part.

A month or so ago, my 85-year-old mom asked, “Did you see Eleanor Coppola’s obituary in the paper?”

I hadn’t, so we found it and she read me this part, “ ‘There is part of me that has been waiting for Francis to leave me, or die, so that I can get my life the way I want it,’ Eleanor wrote. ‘I wonder if I have the guts to get it the way I want with him in it.’ “

I have a theory – that a lot of women don’t use up all their talent as the quote for this post by Erma Bombeck so beautifully says. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t apply to men, too.

But when it comes to women, it seems that after a lifetime of being flexible for others (relationships, kids, pets), women don’t often get ASKED in the same way that men do. So then it becomes a doubly-hard question about creating life the way as envisioned because it involves crafting the persona, network, and possibly upsetting the status quo at home.

In the case of Eleanor Coppola, it turns out that she died at age 87 before Francis. But she directed her first feature film at age 80. I hope that means she was able to get life the way she wanted it with him in it. In fact, one more quote from her obituary makes me think he was nudging her along:

“ ‘One morning at the breakfast table my husband said, “Well, you should direct it.” I was totally startled,’ Eleanor told The AP. ‘But I said, “Well, I never wrote a script before, and I’ve never directed, why not?” I was kind of saying “why not” to everything.”

As we tune in the deep whisper urging us to be useful and share all our talents with the world, I think we should remember to ask, “Why not?“

(featured photo from Pexels)